Ariathulrathi Death Cult
Core Information Kussgo's heart is a more complex maze than was built anywhere else in the country. At its heart is a mystifying holy site for the Ariathulrathi cult: The corpse of Ariathulrak. A great horned skeleton, Ariathulrak lays some hundred feet from the tip of its corpse-snout to the ends of its enormous hooves. Though dead, the corpse possesses a slowly pulsing heart, subtly tensing sinews, and the dimmest of cruel lights in its eyes. Those who spend too long near the cadaver have a tendency to meet their deaths at some aspect of its corpse. Through Ariathulrak, the Kussgo Gigantes have developed a complex philosophy of observation and contemplation - its heart is built on the notion of that vast thing, clearly being dead, yet also not dead. Outside of the Dead Length, undeath is a curiosity rarely seen - particularly not such a vast and perfect manifestation of it. The Cult pursues a membranous state between life and death, an ephemeral forever, for which they have a towering example of the conceptual frailties. Splinter groups assert many things about Ariathulrak: *It is temporarily dead. In time, it will rise again, alive. In so doing, it will probably kill many things. *It will never rise again. Ariathulrak possesses many bodies, and leaves them when they die. *It will never rise again. Ariathulrak is an imperfect manifestation of the concept they observe, for though dead it is inert; it is dead and has also died. *It is permanently dead, only inert as its vital essence is roaming. When it returns, it will be dead, but walk and perhaps speak. Splinter groups both worship Ariathulrak as a god, and indicate Ariathulrak as proof of concept. The interpretation differs. Characters The Ariathulrathi Death Cult is also the governing body of Kussgo and the body directly responsible for the current nested and mazed nature of the entire country. The adventurable echelon of the Cult is predominantly hermetic necromancers, druids of decay, and paladins of fear and death. Paladin: Horned Oath *''The Guilty Pay The Price:'' Those who do not bow to the superiority and finality of Law have earned what comes to them. Once reasonable proof of guilt has been determined, the Horned Paladin pursues and metes justice. *''I Am The Law:'' Those following the Horned Oath are armed by Kussgo to merit punition on the spot. Punishment is largely corporal, as without pain lessons do not linger. Gaoling individuals is akin to granting them a vacation of reflection and imparts a burden of support onto the state of Kussgo. *''Death First:'' While those under the Horned Oath rarely need to flee, the Oath bars cowardice in any form. Striking a foe from behind or tactically retreating are the coward's ways, and cowardice is borne of fear of death. *''Value Time:'' This tenet has brought a reputation of impatience onto those under the Horned Oath. To wait is to permit the guilty to escape, to express cowardice of decision. The optimal course is direct pursuit of any goal. Horned Oath paladins are sometimes called Death Knights or Terror Knights. Horned Oath Paladin Adjustments *Lay on Hands: The energy coursing through the Horned paladin is unstable. They may either heal wounds or directly afflict targets with necrotic damage using the Lay on Hands feature. Choose after each long rest whether you are healing or harming; you may choose again with a short rest, but any amount used from your pool remains expended. *Horned Oath paladins deal necrotic damage, not radiant damage, with their Smite. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is undead or an abberration. *Auras: **''Level 6: Aura of Frailty.' Foes within ten feet suffer a -1 penalty to all saving throws. **''Level 10: 'Aura of Terror.' The paladin is immune to fear, but does not convey such immunity to allies - rather, the instant any enemy is within ten feet of the paladin, they must roll a Wisdom save or be frightened. The penalty from the Aura of Frailty applies. Horned Oath Features *'''''Channel Divinity **''Vow of Destruction:'' As a bonus action, you can utter a vow to destroy a creature you can see within ten feet, using your Channel Divinity. For one minute, add your Charisma modifier to damage rolls to that target. Your hands and any weapon you wield begin smoldering with a noxious black energy. If your weapon is not already magical, it counts as magical for the duration. Discarding a weapon and drawing another does not end the effect. **''Vow of Enmity:'' As the Oath of Vengeance feature. *''Pursuer:'' At 7th level, your preternatural focus imparts an ability to halt some foes the moment you encounter them. When you charge a target or make an opportunity attack on a target, that target must additionally make a Strength or Dexterity save or immediately fall prone. *''Undying Sentinel:'' As the Oath of the Ancients feature. *''Soul of Judgment:'' At 20th level, you can assume the form of a grim sentinel. Using your action, you undergo a transformation, cloaked in an unnaturally toxic smoke. For one minute, you gain the following benefits: **At the start of each of your turns, you regain 10 hit points. **You, and all allies within ten feet of you, have concealment versus ranged attacks. **Whenever an enemy creature starts its turn adjacent to you, it immediately takes 10 necrotic damage. **This ability can be used once per long rest.